Chapter 14 - THE LAST WESTWOOD
Daniel reached the old family office.
The vault stood behind Henry Westwood’s portrait.
Adrian followed.
“Daniel!”
Daniel turned.
A gun was in his hand.
“You always got everything.”
Adrian stopped.
“This was never my choice.”
“The house.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“The name.”
Another step.
“The education.”
“The company.”
“You think any of that replaces a father abandoning you?”
“No.”
Daniel froze.
Adrian continued.
“It doesn’t.”
For the first time, Daniel looked uncertain.
Adrian lowered his hands.
“You deserved better.”
“Don’t pity me.”
“I don’t.”
Adrian looked at the gun.
“But Claire didn’t abandon you.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“She was going to expose me.”
“She was going to expose what you did.”
“You don’t understand.”
“No.”
Adrian’s voice sharpened.
“I understand perfectly.”
Daniel fired.
Adrian dove behind the desk.
The bullet tore through Henry Westwood’s portrait.
Police shouted from the hallway.
Daniel fired toward them.
Margaret appeared behind Adrian.
“Daniel!”
He turned.
She stepped into the office.
No protection.
No weapon.
Just an old woman finally looking at the child her husband had erased.
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel laughed.
“Thirty-eight years late.”
“I know.”
“You knew what he did.”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing.”
“Yes.”
“You raised his other sons in luxury.”
Margaret’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
Daniel’s hand shook.
“Then tell me why I shouldn’t take everything.”
Margaret answered:
“Because then Henry wins.”
Daniel stopped.
“If you become cruel because he was cruel, he still controls you.”
His face twisted.
“You don’t get to tell me how to live.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“But I can finally tell the truth.”
Daniel’s gun lowered slightly.
That was enough.
Adrian tackled him.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
They crashed through a glass table.
Daniel punched Adrian.
Adrian hit him back.
Years of lies exploded between them.
Daniel grabbed a shard of glass.
Natalie screamed from the doorway.
“Adrian!”
Daniel raised it.
Then Caleb stepped between them.
The shard drove into Caleb’s side.
Everyone froze.
Daniel stared at his younger brother.
Caleb collapsed.
Adrian caught him.
Police tackled Daniel.
Caleb gasped for air.
“Did I finally do one thing right?”
Adrian held pressure against the wound.
“Don’t talk.”
Caleb gave a weak smile.
“Claire said give me a chance.”
“You’re getting one.”
Caleb closed his eyes.
Adrian shouted for paramedics.
Daniel was dragged away.
Madison was handcuffed downstairs.
Margaret sat against the wall, crying.
And as the first light of dawn reached the windows, Adrian looked around at the ruins of the family his mother had spent decades protecting.
Then Marcus approached.
“There’s one more thing.”
Adrian looked up.
“What?”
Marcus held Claire’s red jewelry case.
“We found a letter underneath the lining.”
Adrian took it.
His name was written across the envelope.
Claire’s handwriting.
May you like
He opened it.
And the first sentence changed everything he thought he knew about the life they had shared.
